This e-book is designed to foster creativity among young minds
and to motivate our readers. It is only meant for recreational
purposes and the content in the e-book is not intended to offend
any sentiments or personal experiences. The content of each
article is the sole expression and opinion of its young authors. We
would like to acknowledge that all the resources and ideas in the
e-book are a product of the creators’ imagination. No part of this
e-book shall be scanned, uploaded, reproduced, distributed or
transmitted in any form or means without the permission of S. P.
Mandali’s R. A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics.
Dear Readers,
Because it forces one to dig deeper
And discover something new about oneself.”
-Paul T P Wong
With gratification, we put forth our first issue of “Vasant Bahar” – The Spring
E-Book, a piece of creation by our own Podar Junior college students.
The theme for this year is SPRING which means “Vasanta” in Sanskrit. The
selection of this theme ‘SPRING’ is apt because a flower is a beautiful symbol of life
and regeneration for it leads to a seed and another plant or tree. Spring is the season
in which the voice of Nature or the presence of Nature can be heard or felt
everywhere.
The role of a facilitator is to nurture skills and talents of the students.
‘Vasant Bahar’ is our effort to etch the hidden talents through literary skills,
innovative ideas and performing arts through an E-book. It’s important to remember
that we all have magic inside us. The E-book is a method to eliminate boredom,
procrastination and cut-off distractions and thus utilise the time productively during
this pandemic.
The journey of weaving reflections, feelings and experiences in the form of
“Vasant Bahar” would not have been possible without the constant guidance of our
mentors. We profusely thank the students and teachers for giving support and
encouragement and a free hand in the endeavour. Last but not the least we are
thankful to all the authors and artists who have sent their articles, artworks and
performances. We truly hope you all enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed compiling
it.
Place: Mumbai
Vision : : : (One in mind and one in heart)
Mission : (There is nothing in this universe as pure as knowledge)
MAGAZINE COMMITTEE
I/C Vice Principal Dr. Vinda Paralkar (Executive Editor)
Kenisha Birwadkar
Khushi Dharod
Omsai Raut
Tanvi Mestry
Vaibhav Gupta
Teachers’ Team
Recipes 55
59-78 60
74
79-110 80
90
102
Dear All,
Greetings to all of you.
I am very glad to share few of my thoughts with the readers of this ‘Spring E-
Book’ which is an outcome of the creative minds from our Junior College.
At the outset I would like to place on record my congratulations and appreciation
for the entire team. The conceptualisation, construction and creation of this e-
book by the Junior College of R. A. PODAR COLLEGE OF COMMERCE AND
ECONOMICS deserves a huge degree of appreciation.
Year 2020 is a starkly different year. It will not be wrong to describe it as COVID
year. The world has experienced complete/ restrictive lockdown in an attempt to
disengage the spread of COVID. Although nothing in the recorded history could
be taken for comparison created by COVID pandemic, it could be comparable to
the onslaught of forest fire. This comparison is also restrictive to the level and
speed at which it spreads is several times more than the destruction caused by
the forest fire and it travels across the globe and targets human life. To be
precise it has touched every single aspect of human life. It has affected world
economy and has brought everything around to a standstill situation. As COVID
19 is still ravaging the countries of the world, it would be impossible to measure
the impact of this pandemic on various aspects of our life at least for some time
from now. It is but a fact that most of us are confined to the four walls of our
respective homes while another group is out on the field to take care of us.
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As an educationist, I am of the opinion that the young population (school going
and college going), of our country are the worst affected and are facing the
burden caused by the lockdown.
It is agreeable that ninety per cent of the generation mentioned above, is not
contributing directly to the economy by way of employment or otherwise.
However they are the think tanks of the future and the only hope. Future of the
world is in their minds and hands. It is our primary duty to make sure that their
grey cells remain active and they do not lose the track of innovation, imagination
and expression.
In this context JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM of our college has come out with this
brilliant idea of providing a platform for nurturing the creative minds.
E-book is just a medium to bring out infinite but unutilized potential of young
PODARITES. It, indeed, has given an opportunity to paint and beautify the wall
against which they got stuck. They have turned towards the wall by facing it and
not showing their back to it.
A beautiful and well inscribed wall (Podar College E-Book) is the result of this
great initiative. I am extremely happy that this effort of the college has brought
back energy, enthusiasm and the self confidence amongst the students. I wish
the readers too to get back their original enthusiastic self by reading the creative
thought process of our young contributors.
I welcome all the readers to enjoy the inspirational and creative work of
Podarites and give back your valuable feedback.
Thanks.
Principal
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Preface
A Turkish writer Ildan, rightly said, “A virus can change the fate of the world and
power has nothing to do with being tiny or giant.”
Truly, 2020 awoke to a new dawn. While we were getting ready to wind up an
academic year, He was making different plans for all of us. With the setting of
spring in March 2020, an exceptional and unanticipated time period began. All
of us became homebound, were locked down within the four walls of our house
and compelled to gear up with new times.
Speaking about students, when they were all set to write their examination,
there was a lot of uncertainty about conducting it. One can imagine the state of
mind of those who were banking on final examination for a good score! All
chirpy birds became mute as they were confined in their cocoon.
In May 2020, I took over as the Vice-Principal of Junior College. I sincerely felt
that our students who were facing tough times, shouldn’t be bogged down with
mental, psychological and emotional pressure. So my idea of keeping them
busy with a creative pursuit took the form of this e-book titled ‘Vasant Bahar:
The Spring e-book”. The title Vasant Bahar was chosen, as spring - the most
pleasant season of the year is the season of blossom, during which Mother
Nature is in her happiest mood. And I wanted our students to catch up the same
mood while turning their creative ideas into concrete possibilities. Our principal
Dr Shobana Vasudevan was very delighted with this concept and gave support
whole heartedly. This e-book is unique in one more respect – all language
forums, ELC, HLC, German Forum, French Forum and MLC joined hands and
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set on a task to get our students started! So in the midst of this pandemic
situation, in order to keep our young sparks busy, Podar College thought of
launching this e-book.
The appeal was made through all forums/mandals and the response has been
astonishing and overwhelming! As e-book is a platform for students to virtually
showcase their skills and talents, as budding poets, authors and artists, it was
but obvious to have 3 interesting sections in it: LA (Literary Art), VA (Visual Art)
and PA (Performing Art).
We always tell our students, “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the
ground”, and they didn’t disappoint! As you browse through sections, check out
their skills and capabilities, their inner thoughts and passion, which they penned
down when mankind faced the most challenging time of the millennium!
I am thankful to all the students who have contributed their writing/art work to
this novel e-book. Also, to the member students of our Tech Team who have
taken a lot of efforts to give an attractive look to it. Special thanks to our
dynamic and ever-encouraging Principal for supporting us and showering her
blessings! And last but not the least, a big ‘thank you’ to all my dear colleagues,
Mrs. Mamta Sharma (Retired), Mrs Rose John, Mr. Chandrakant Sonawane, Mr.
Rahul Singh, Mr. Milind Sant, Miss Ruchi Savla, Mrs. Swati Bangar, Mrs. Nisha
Nair and everyone for their support, without which this idea wouldn’t have come
into reality.
As Sam Tanenhaus has rightly said, “In literature and in life we ultimately
pursue, not conclusions but beginnings.” So, let us be creative perpetually in art,
literature or in dealing with real life situation.
Concluding my words with the hope of huge support from all the
readers/viewers…….
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ENGLISH
LITERARY
ART
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POEMS
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With the dawn of spring New leaves ready to bling
Green lawns stretched on hills
Cotton pods ready for mills
Over the darkened dusks Flowers bloom with musk
Breezy air around the nest
Birds singing harmony with zest
Every life gets a living reason It’s the beginning of spring season...!
Maitreyi Salvi
Spring Up, Step Out.
The dry winter fades away, And Spring surrounds us in its sway;
The colourless landscape is filled with life, Nature has been monopolized.
Spring rules the trees,
Animals, birds, our hearts and bees; Flowers, fruits spread their vibrance,
It's time to gear up, dear aspirants.
New leaves and flowers bloom,
C'mon it's time to get out of your room; It's time to hear the cuckoo bird,
Get ready to sing and play the chord.
The Indian tricolor, Makes the countryside look better;
The three colours are a part of the scenery, Curated by the sun and the earth's greenery.
Fresh breeze blows, Through hair and clothes;
Nature mesmerizes us every time, Being surrounded by its magic is divine.
Enthusiasm and optimism fill the heart,
Don't miss this experience if you are smart;
Spring up and step out to venture, Don't miss this adventure.
Kenisha Birwadkar
A Perfect Spring
Why The spring Days Are So Perfect? The Melodious Voices Of Birds,
The Excitement Of Animals, And The Dancing Flowers To Make Us Breath.
The Glamour On Human Faces,
The Synergy Of Beauty And Nature, The Clarity Of Every Growing Plant
And The Patience Finally Turning Into A Blessing.
Because The Dressed Up World Celebrate, The Spring Days Are So Perfect
Yash Bhamare
Walking Through The Streets Has The Safe Vibe Nowadays,
Feels Like I Am Under The Coverage Of Peace. And Then My Heart Clicked - ‘These Are The Spring Times.’
Yash Bhamare
Spring Pleasures The World.
From The Blistering Dawn ; To The Fresh Streets, Springs Heals The Side.
From The Opening Windows ;
Yash Bhamare
Magical Spring
I've Always Loved Spring. With A Sight Of Charm And An Elegance Of Beauty ;
Spring Evolves At Every Instant. Fulfilling The Hopes And Creating Time ;
Springs Glitters Magic.
Dear Spring, The Shorter Nights Are Calling You,
To Enjoy The Pleasure In Less Instance. The Birds Are Admiring You, For Allowing Them To Sing.
The Leaves Are Waiting For You, To Start There New Journey.
Yash Bhamare
Nature’s Love
The one who loves everyone, World’s each and every creature.
It’s the one and only, Our Mother Nature…
Green grass, beautiful flowers, Scenic beauty spread all over. Whenever I’m in nature’s lap, I wish to go nowhere ever…
Nature makes this earth, A worthy place to dwell.
Without this heavenly nature, This land is totally hell!
We are taking initiative,
To destroy and not to protect nature. So come on, let’s protect it, To save our lives and future.
Anon
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Salute to the Corona Warriors
A salute to the amazing Corona warriors, The ones battling to save the Virus carriers, They sacrificed their life, family and soul,
Just to help achieve the country's safety goal. They have parents, children and a spouse,
Then from where does so much oblation in them arouse, It’s out of their duty and love for their country,
That they spend times hungry without being grumpy, They themselves are getting torn by the virus,
Yet they stand like wounded soldiers which is just so miraculous, We can just contribute to our country monetarily,
But these guys’ focus to save us proved their divinity, The police, cleaners, doctors and nurses,
How much should we thank these institutions like churches. We just cry over tasteless food and not going out,
But don't think about them who are living in hell throughout. We are just so impatient and self-centred,
That we are forgetting about the service these guys rendered, We were never asked to stay hungry or go to the boundary,
But were asked to stay in for our own safety, This would be the only way to unburden the corona warriors,
And also, to reduce the patients getting hearsed, Let’s pledge to maintain lockdown and social distancing,
To give this Covid19 module a good back spacing. Thank you
Jenikka Korgaonker
Corona Warriors
Are battles fought only in the battle field? "Yes" is the answer most situations will yield!
Well, that's true only to a certain extent, As we might not be knowing nature's true intent.
Country by country the disease spread, But in serving their fellow nationals the real heroes were least afraid.
The healthcare workers, the cleaning staff, the defence Personnel and many more strive, To keep the flame of humanity alive.
They put their country at a prime position, Without giving a thought to their own mental preparedness and condition.
Day and night, darkness or light, With the spirit of a knight,
They keep the blaze of social service burning bright! Be it taking care of the ill
Or ensuring that the country is effectively under seal, Be it keeping the country clean
Or informing about the latest updates to citizens keen, They do all of these with utmost compassion,
Because they know at the end that's going to give them plenty of satisfaction. They commit to their job in their country's love,
As for them it’s their behove. Indeed these are the heroes fighting a real war,
Though not in an actual battle field but definitely beyond any boundaries so far!
Vishakh
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Our DURONTO city Mumbai!
Oh, my Duronto City Mumbai, You never stop, never rest in peace.
You face so many dilemmas, Like flood in rains and extreme heat in summer. You welcome everyone with open arms of Sea,
And show your legacy through Old Lady of Boribunder, CSMT, Fort, Churchgate, Cuffee Parade and Marine Lines!!!
You captivate everyone and show your glory and prosperity through NIGHT LFE. But just becz of LA, LV and NYC you never seemed like.
Taj Hotel is your crown and Marine Lines is necklace,
Local Trains are heartbeats and Aarey’s Forests were your lungs.
You never stop, never somber although there’s flood, Earthquake or terrorism of 26/11.
Now, you are in cage of LOCKDOWN, Your glory to decay!!!
Unmesh Patel
I always wanted to fly like a bird.
Be like a bird. I’d go to places I’ve never seen before.
Oh how wonderful will it be! I always wondered.
I could escape my problems. That flying away from them would be the only solution.
I could just be free, strong and careless. Not a single worry in the world. The world I knew would change.
Oh, how desperately I wanted to fly… I prayed to God to give me wings,
Until I realized myself, I already had them,
I just wasn’t ready to face my worries. I just wasn’t ready to be strong and accept them
Stories stay, Inside these pages. While we fade away,
Through many stages.
I can never leave behind. Life is just like it…
You see the beauty of it. The stops, The hellos,
The goodbyes, The hard ways too…
You stop at every station, Collect a memory,
A memory that will stay forever. You know where you’re going…
But you don’t want to stop, You don’t want to reach the destination.
Because you’re so in love with the journey… But one day or another,
You reach there. The place.
The place you call home.
Alisha Toraskar
Song As Lifeline
This is a poem of a feeling, Or you can say of expressing,
There are many variants of these, People like or may dislike the crease.
It strings up with music, Makes you feel good when you are sick,
It is made for a cause, And also heals a great loss.
It is available at the dawn,
And also with you when walking in the lawn, You walk with it, You sing with it.
It motivates you to go to hell and yourself fight, It encourages you when you are right,
It is a puzzle with a subtle, For full understanding you need to be a turtle.
It makes you laugh and happy, Reminds you that do not be sad and lonely,
It is for introverts, It is for extroverts.
It can be played at any occasion, And can be heard on any vacation,
They are made by artists not who paint, But they are who depict.
You hum with the tunes, You dance on the tunes,
It is a stress buster, It can make you a master.
It can be felt through the eyes, It can be felt through the ears,
And it can be expressed by your face, It might be slow or may take pace.
Yes this is what a song is,
Still it has many phases to be discovered, But they are a miss.
Bhaumik Khona
Has the extinction of mankind begun?
Did it start with the Spanish flu? Or did it start with the unabated greed?
Greed for money, hunger for power Or lust for both?
One wonders when will this season of despair end?
With millions in grief When will mankind
Turn over a new leaf And start afresh
Like the season of spring?
Letting go of all the hate and envy And treating everyone and everything gently
Making ourselves better each day No matter what life gives us
Trying our best anyway.
Only then will life be colourful Like the flowers that bloom
Only then we can live Not worrying about our doom.
As acceptance is the key
To live life freely And not thinking about the problems
But its solutions deeply.
Let’s not repeat the mistakes in the past As we can live this life In which we can thrive
As do the flowers in spring.
Disha Jain
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Why?
One night in deep slumber I heard a knock with thunder
I woke up with a sigh, exasperated And saw some men saying that you’re dead
“Wait what?”, my baffled self asked “Your time is over”, they said, their voice rasped
They pulled me for I had no choice After hours in black void, I heard a divine voice “Let the soul enter in heaven”, that voice said
“It’s pure and innocent, now go ahead” As I saw the platinum gates open
A luminous figure appeared with a glow of golden “Lord Rama!” Exclaimed my spirit
He started talking with a sound so exquisite How was life on Earth?”
“It was splendid except for a dearth For days it is piercing my heart
But this is not how this story should start It began with Chenab’s river melody Little did I know about our destiny There in the fields frolicked a boy
His hairs swinging and eyes full of joy “Chachaji!” The boy called out
“Anwar!” Joined the Sardarji with a shout Sardarji hugged him, eyes filled with tears He said, “You remind me of my son, dear”
Into pure bliss my heart melted Oh Rama, when this love wilted?
Fraternity weakened as the days went Riots of vengeance were its advent
Amidst of their ruin and firing “Chachaji!” Anwar started crying
Contempt tore Sardarji’s eyes apart As he pierced his Kirpan through the boy’s heart”
Despondent, my eyes blurred I looked up and something stirred
With glistering orbs Allah was looking at me “Where did Lord Rama go? I want to see”
And that’s when I started to realise That Allah and Rama were the same in disguise
Then why do we fight? Instead of uniting in blight
Hindu or Muslim it doesn’t make any difference Then why do we guard our spirits with this fence
Staring lusterless in the misty sky
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I just want to ask every single human, WHY?... If you ever wonder why
Where the stories of art lie They are hurried deep inside someone
But not easily seen by anyone When one’s thoughts are sprinting
In the field of imagination they are prancing Thus an idea comes from the heart This is how our story gets a start
With characters and their life Carefully carved by creativity’s knife
Love and conflict fill it with colour Making it lively, full of splendor
Or on a canvas flows a line I’m not holding it though it’s mine Letting her take twists and turns
Until my whole inside stirs The line stops after a while
And on my face appears a smile For the line is enervated
She backs up to where she was heade My eyes just can’t stop looking
At my line which people call as a painting Tears fill my orbs anew
As my line is admired by a few Or when words appear
For someone loved and dear Those words catch rhyme
And bells of melody start to chime Thus a poem is born
Sometimes jovial or forlorn Be it a rhyme or a free verse
Mellifluous or coarse We call this wordsmith a poet
And words are his biggest asset There is beauty in every aspect of life
Be it ecstasy, sorrow or strife So this was the story of one’s heart
Told by the means of pure art…
Janhavi
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Voice
I have strength, let me fight The battle that I have chosen for myself;
I have wings, let me fly Till I touch the sky, no matter how high.
Do not judge, you know nothing about me:
The goals I have scored, the fights I have lost; Do not underestimate, you’ve never faced me
You know not my strengths neither my weaknesses.
Let everyone hear my voice The verses I want to say, the thoughts I want to share;
Let me cry out all my feelings Because I’m done piling them up in my mind.
Don’t come in and out of my life
There are too many miracles occurring inside me, Just shut the door while going out, and make sure to never reopen it.
I’m done adjusting in your way
Let me live my life the way I want to I’m done following your commands
Let me be the commander now.
Khushbu Mali
YOUR OWN WORTH!
Your pain is much more than The clouds thundering in rain.
The number will change with time But what won’t change is who you are deep inside.
Strong, beautiful, capable and that is where Your worth comes from.
If you don’t accept your flaws, Will make you the imperfect of all.
Love yourself and glow within Take off the masks you wear out there And get to know yourself underneath.
Choose happiness, choose the kind of love That makes you feel right.
You need not change yourself For anyone who disrespects and fights.
Embrace your insecurities, Be attractive who respects and appreciates your energy.
You within yourself will find loveliness Through your soul’s own mystery
You rejoice your freedom and love for yourself Because your own worth is YOU itself.
Nishi Punamiya
You walk with head down Taking deep breaths
Trying to make run for it Before they find you there
You have your hair down
Two long tails And the grey-white uniform That you could never forget
You see it clearly
In a place you have known so well
But you face your fears And now you sit near the window
Looking over the road Until you see teacher near the door
You make through the periods. And here comes the best part
Where you open your tiffin To see what your mother has packed
You look around in the classroom To see them chattering around
You wish you could join But you don’t know how
You finish your lunch
And you take out a book Trying to make yourself busy
Until the story overtook
But your loved ones told you It’s not so
You felt stupid and dumb To not have a single one
Who could sit by you And enjoy what you had too
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And joined in the discussion Sharing your thoughts about
Food, celebrities and foreign destinations
You overcame your fears Left no place for tears You became someone
Who now they hold dear
You won over people And now they stand by for you
You never let the hallway Scare you ever again
You walked out the gate
Waving goodbye To the place that taught you to be brave
And learn to fly
Just like a river, my heart flows.
I have a huge mountain ahead seeming insurmountable,
But I’ll pluck up the courage and believe that I am accountable.
Sometimes gigantic rocks will block my road,
Avalanches will break my spirit,
But I’ll neither crib nor whine about it,
And I will remember that ‘I will do it’.
Step by Step I will reach my destination,
Overcoming all my hallucinations and frustration.
I’ll reach the summit and will gawk at its view,
After all the catastrophe, it’s a dream come true.
Life’s a climb, embrace it,
All you have to do is enjoy or there are consequences, so face it!
Zalak Doshi
Be Yourself!
However you are, always be true, And do whatever you like to do.
With your own rules live your life, Don’t just make it a routine alike.
Many people will say that you’re fake, But don’t ever let your heart break.
Have your own opinions, express them too, But, only a few might find it to be true.
To be real is an easy task, So please don’t live with a surreal mask.
Ketaki Salokhe
Nature’s Return Gift
A microscopic organism caused a worldwide pandemic None could stop even the rankers in academic
Animals weren’t supposed to be in cages or stomachs They were merely sold for a few bucks
Then they put us in home jails and took their revenge Made the economies fail like a falling stone in Mariana Trench
Still we couldn’t maintain social distancing The oceans and seas had their own rage songs to sing
Amphan and Nisarg depicted nature’s dominance Humans stood helpless despite those guns
It is time we see nature is sick of us Already have enough to mourn and fuss
Let us start respecting our nature Or its return gifts will not let our lives nurture.
Darshani Dharmendra Mehta
But they should never make one only a dreamer.
Dreams should be such that can be completed,
But they should never make your life complicated.
Dreams should be such that wake you up from your sleep,
But they shouldn’t be such that only make you peep.
Dreams should be seen with open eyes,
Dreams shouldn’t be seen with fake sighs.
Dream for the thing you want to achieve really,
Dream for the one you want to be clearly.
Dream for more, dream for less,
Dream for the thing that means Success.
Ketaki Salokhe
Take me to Cynefin where the nature greets
Between the woods is brivetting around Feeling the petrichor and the
Dawn chorus sound Wallowing on the earthly ground
Looking upon the verdure Swishing winds and the weathering leaves
Become my mental cure Birds fluttering and the blooming blossoms
Eating all of the sweet luscious plums. Or take me inside the canoe that moves Down the moonlight I sleep in its groove
The wind and seas get ready to tune The stars twinkle and brighten the gloom
Sprawling the euphoria in my veins Oh nature you relieve Me out during my pain
Life is like the sea Rumbling and tumbling towards the perigee
Striking over huge rocks and stones Between the deserted sand it’s all alone
Tides gracefully traversing Surrendering only when all the force lose the zing
People called it grey few of them blue Paved at the beginning but later it’s all true Sometimes overflows and causes explosion
Just like all our emotions But won’t give up at any point Few other bodies start to join
Sometimes passes through goofy tunnels or bealach With all the might thee strives and
March experiences taught it to be bold and vivid Lashes down the route
Still it isn’t timid Grief and pain it all lets out
It’s a mix of whoosh of air and burble from its mouth All the efforts are masked down
And only a beautiful shiny flow is found
Akshata Padmanabham
The Matter Of Time Has Changed. After A Windy Winter,
Finally The Sun Shows His Face.
My Being Is Not Letting The Windows Close; Just Feeling The Formative Nature And My Mind Like The Water Flows.
I Wave Towards The Flowers,
I Can See There Pleasure. The Delightful Spring Is Ours…
Yash Bhamar
Yes, she works all day And night
Yes, she would do anything to protect The Ones She Loves. Yes, she stands with
The Truth Yes, she looks after the place she was born. Yes, she has many responsibilities to uphold.
Yes, she will never betray the people Who have faith in her
She is no Queen Because she doesn’t need titles to be one.
Alisha Toraskar
She healed you when she bled,
She was hurting but she still fed.
On her tears she used to choke,
She loved you when her heart was broke.
She’s a mother, a sister, a woman.
She’ll be soft even if the world’s cruel.
But don’t take her for granted my dear,
Cause she’s strong enough to overcome any fear.
Jayvi Vador
Her Demise
Wonder, why she does what she does for people? Are they even worthy enough?
Do they even care as such? The plastic,the litter and the choking air
Doesn’t prove that much!
The temperatures rise and people fray And after all that they have done to her,
They pray Pray that the good climate stays
Sometimes, she feels that their righteous minds will rise,
And stop mother nature’s demise But every day she is dying
And cannot see anything changing.
All she hopes is to revive From people’s avarice
All she hopes is for people to be wise Before mother nature’s demise.
Disha Jain
'Mr. Mobile'
Do you know Mr. Mobile You have captured all dreams and ambitions,
People are becoming fragile, Can you give them back their petitions?
The brains are becoming lacuna,
And the loss of imagination is Ineffable, Pleasing your dear, don't cause a Trauma,
Can you make them again movable?
You are not bad dear, You are just making people rebarbative,
People are losing people, and that’s the greatest fear, Can you free them from your captive?
To the loved ones, earthborns are becoming stranger,
And to the stranger, they are loved ones, The upper class (aged) wanted to mix, and the lower (kids) is enjoying anger,
Can you give parents back their daughters and sons?
The doors of mouth are long back shut, Only the top part that’s eyes are taking initiative,
People are spreading about you a lot of good scuttlebutt, Can you make them again talkative?
Anuja
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Shh, there is a secret I’ve kept For nights it haven’t slept
It’s always moving along with me And now I want to confide in thee
It’ll may sound eccentric To some even pathetic
Now, enough with the suspense I abhor I prefer the scent of books to petrichor
For my blood is made from ink
Which provokes me to deeply think I know that I’m not alone
In the search of book’s cologne
To me writing is a sheer, wonderful sight A colourful painting of words black and white
It is like a blanket in winter moonlit Cozy and warm through word’s knit
I can see impossible while reading
In night I can hear the library humming I sniff books as if I’m breathing
The fragrance of them… Ah so pleasing!
As the pages cut my finger My soul starts to longer
In the streets of the novel I roam It’s an escape which brings me home
Sometimes the words pierce through the heart
And tear my soul apart I feel bad for the agony of my new friend But hoping that the book would never end
As if the author had a knife
To carve something so full of life I hear voices not once heard before
But deaf to the world without Dumbledore
Okay, enough about the scent I’ve found In the paper world far from the ground
Still I’ll keep hunting every cranny and nook For my bottle of Eau de Book
Janhavi Joshi
21st Century
Every single day we race against time, Not paying heed to our tired mind,
We have forgotten about friends and family, Our lives have become a movie with too
Little fun and too much tragedy. Smart phones have become our hearts and lungs,
Turning our brains into useless lumps, Children stick to video games,
Energetic playgrounds have changed to lonely lanes. Uncles' visits have ceased,
That paper of memories has been creased, Even phone calls have stopped, we only send emails,
Children don’t get to hear grandma’s fairy tales, Lively homes have become dull isolated jails, People are judged by their bank accounts,
But they don’t understand that it is who “they’re” that counts, Rich and poor are running after money, They have forgotten to live in harmony,
More marks is the only thing that matters to children, They are unaware that gaining knowledge can be fun.
Along with those deserted playgrounds, Their childhood goes to waste,
Because to be on the top of the class they have to make haste, Despite having all the luxuries, our lifestyle is being degraded.
Those memories of joy laughter and fun have faded, A lot of pressure is adding to the stress,
As if only one pawn is remaining in a giant game of chess. We Indians have fallen prey to westernization,
Carelessly, we have forgotten our own culture and religion. Instead of nutrition, we go looking for taste.
It seems, to fall ill, we are making haste. Incredible heritage and culture vanishing day by day. We desperately need to save it, this is what we pray,
Diversity is changing into monotony, variety into a uniform, Back to its origin country needs to transform.
People’s minds are filled with jealousy, We always are seeking someone to envy,
Somehow, we manage to get into conflicts', But alas fail to come up with a solution that fits.
Kanishk Gala
Lockdown with a book…
The collections of words and papers, When opened, lifting their covers,
Teach us values of life, With several faces, like a dice, Enjoy the ocean of knowledge,
In this new, lost world They're exciting like a marriage,
And warmth in the cold. They differ from each other
Some have fantasy and some horror, And science, and fiction dividing into several tracks
But all together, they unite with climax. Life is like a set of chapters,
With millions and billions of characters, With scenes and situations,
Which stop at all unique stations. The joys of reading are unlimited,
Showing not only what the history has pretended Fantasy, mythology, philosophy and mystery, With the exciting ingredients as in a pastry. At times I feel in place of the protagonist
And learn numerous life lessons, The depth of books like Bible and Gita
Guide us to fight back injustice and raise questions Kings and queens in childhood
Science and fiction in teenage, Novels and journals in adulthood Newspapers and epics in old age.
Reading is regardless of age, So, enjoy your life reading,
It helps everyone in every phase, It helps enhance my feeling.
Kanishk Gala
Times change, but, The only thing which remains,
Is memories…
The dance and laughter, Mistakes done and forgiven.
Do not carry the past with you,
Life is waiting and calling, come undone!
Recall and smile for though it’s past, it is yours, Your roots that will strengthen your foundation,
Cherish the novelty, do step and move on! Flourish and open up, feel the wind beneath your wings,
Not just the past, even the present is not worth missing.
At first, you will want to go back, Runaway, not tread the unknown but retrace the old.
Take it from me, The remnants of a comfort zone;
Hypnotize, hiver and hold us back, more strongly Than the power that can lure us to and keep us in reality;
Not some broken pieces but the wholeness that can truly, be mine.
I guess the heaven was needing a hero, Somebody just like you;
Brave enough to stand up, For what you believe, And follow it through;
For someone who always loved and never despised, Courage, faith and hope is what you’ve always had,
Your place will always be special in my heart; Always and forever.
For my beloved Dadi…
Here’s To The Ones Who Dream
Sometimes chasing your dreams is like chasing stars, It’ll only leave you with deep wounds and unbearable scars,
It is true that Life isn’t always fair, But it gives us a chance to breathe perfumed air,
The air that is filled with immaculateness of your intentions to dream, When your eyes glisten and skin gleam,
They say,” No Pain, No Gain”, But what if all your efforts go in vain?
What if all the possibilities fail? What if all the chances remain unavail?
Dreams are to be embroiled in your spirit,
Though, to live your dreams, this is not a popular gimmick! They say,” Fools dream and dreams never come true”,
What happens when you cannot live your dream? Do you rue? Life, my friend, was never a cakewalk,
So pluck up the courage and be curious, As those who dream not only in sleep but also in reality,
Will always emerge victorious!
Corona – Made In China
“Made in China” has become so common, Most goods that you buy come from there.
Recently the world has got a virus: cost – none, Avoiding trade with China, trust me, it’s a dare.
Chinese products are not new to anyone, The Coronavirus, leaves neither the poor nor the billionaire.
Those visiting China for fun, Come back: pack up all your affairs.
Kenisha Birwadkar
If the bee could speak
I am such a tiny little creature, Still I work so much that it is difficult to measure;
Collect honey, build my home, I have excellent relations with my colleagues without even the phone!
I save a lot of time by not texting my fellow bees, I see the world more than what you see;
You ask me how I manage so many things together, I tell you it’s easy to be as busy as a bee.
JUST KEEP THAT PHONE ASIDE AND TRUST ME; YOU TOO WILL
KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN WORK AND STILL SAVE A LOT OF TIME!
Kenisha Birwadkar
Now’s the time to think
When did I last sit back and think? Did my eye even blink?
At the good or the pleasures,
From foundation to plinth…
Did the colours even sink?
Of the rainbow, chirping of birds melody and plink!
When did I last say ‘Thank you’, Did I admit, ‘I miss you’?
Now is the time to ponder
Think, try and reconcile.
It’s not about me but you too, We always need each other,
Believe me it’s so worthwhile!
We need the support, we need the care…
We need the warmth, though time we don’t spare…
We need to be bold, we need to be strong…
Conviction, reliance, confidence to pull along!!!
We learn as we go along, we thrive as we move on,
To correct going forward as past is left as dawn.
We urge for compassion, gratitude and bright light-
Count your blessings, pleasures – stand upright.
Ms. Divya Lalwani
Coordinator, BMS Department
A QUARANTINE STORY!
As we all know that we are under lockdown from last 2 months because of the global pandemic - COVID -
19. I am going to share my Quarantine story. I am a student who completed my HSC examinations in March.
At the time when I was in 12th standard, my main focus was on studies and nothing else. I used to get up
every morning and follow my monotonous life. Meanwhile we all friends decided that after the HSC
examinations are over, we will enjoy all the missed out fun, so like this we planned out so many things and
because of corona virus everything just became flop.
The first week of lockdown was so boring. There was no other work than just spending hours on instagram,
scrolling memes, reading unnecessary, irrelevant content and relating some of them to my life. But
gradually one day I realised that why not be happy in the place where you are, rather than just sitting in
one place and blame corona virus for not meeting our loved ones.
Can you imagine the situation of those people who don't even have their family near them, the people who
don't have their own shelter. It's hard to imagine the life of people who have to worry that from where
they will get their next meal. But we are fortunate that we don't have to care about all this!
Back of my mind I knew that I was just wasting time by thinking how boring is this, rather than making
memories. Because memories is something what lasts forever. So what I got to learn during this Quarantine
is 'Life is short' and we should appreciate it and should not take it for granted. Feel grateful, thankful
and blessed with what you have. Learn to live life. Learn to live every day, every minute, every second.
Because, "At the end it doesn't matters how many days you lived but how much you lived in those days!"
Bhavna Shivaji Kshirsagar
THE WISE MAN HAS LONG EARS AND A SHORT TONGUE
A wise man is often described as a person who has been through many ups and downs in his life. He
is a very experienced and smart human being and knows exactly how to counter every problem life throws
at him. A German soldier once said that, “The wise man has long ears and a short tongue.” This quote is what helped him survive the World War and guided him through every problem. During his time in the war,
he learnt that in order to even think of surviving the Great War, he will have to listen to every instruction
given to him by his superiors. So this quote was essential to follow in the Nazi rule in Germany.
However, till today this quote has tremendous importance in many fields. One such case is in the
field of leadership. Proper leadership in the case of a company or any other firm requires the boss to have
complete faith and loyalty from his subordinates and employees. He must listen to all his subordinates and
employees about what they have to say and contribute. Then, according to all their suggestions, the boss
can take the decision and in a matter of a few words can explain the entire problem to the investors, etc.
it means that the wise man actually listens to more and absorbs the knowledge rather than constantly
being argumentative or trying to waste words.
This quote describes me as a person very well. My teachers and elders often think that I have a
bad attitude and not paying attention because, I stay quiet in class. But that is not the case, I prefer
sitting back in class and hear the lecture and absorb all the information that the teacher has to convey. I
believe that staying quiet and hearing what the teacher or the lecturer has to say is more important. In
short, it means that it is better to hear rather than argue or reply all the time.
Armaan Mirchandani
CIRCLE OF LIFE
Quarantine messing with our heads? Yes! But what if instead of cribbing over not getting to go outside,
we introspect the life we have lived till now. I know it's not much but what if we looked at the moments
which are drilled into our systems and give it a closer look. Give a second thought to the ones who have
cried because of us or who have made us cry. Look at the moments passing by which we didn't know were
going to end in the future. What would we have done differently? What would we have said that would
have somehow brought the future to a different end? Well... Now's the time. Give it a go. Call. Apologize.
Cry. Reconcile. Smile. Trust me it's not that difficult. Remember it takes only a moment to destroy but a
lifetime to heal. So why not start our bit today itself. This is not a challenge I am asking you to do. It's a
choice. One that somehow relieves our heart from the burden buried inside.
So... Why waste this opportunity? It's a never ending circle, a circle which connects everything. One end
leads to a different beginning and one beginning leads to a different end.... It's inevitable not to bump into
your past or get a glimpse into your future in this circle. So as Steve Job said about 'Connecting the Dots'
why don't we all look back and see for ourselves the way our life has turned. Is it good? If yes then keep
doing good. It's bad? Well search for the loophole and rectify it, trust me it's worth the wait. Begin with
goodness and end with glory. That's my mantra. What's yours?
Rhea Jison
CORONA VIRUS: A LIFE CHANGER
Corona. Corona. Corona! Just a six letter word but has shaken the whole world. All developed countries,
like USA, Italy, Spain etc. had gave up in this situation. Instead of having advanced technology and medical
facilities. Today, such an invisible creature is ruling all over the world. The entire economy had gone for a
toss. It is a common experience that any disaster, be it man-made or natural makes Government System
helpless and the economy gets disturb. Corona is a war on Health workers, COVID warriors at all levels
who are at the forefront of this war. It is an unexpected war all over the world. This virus is a sign of
future crisis around the whole around.
But all the above situation, this virus has changed human life directly or indirectly whether the poor or
the rich. All of us knew the value of life. There is nothing precious in the world than life. In this fast pace
society, we live in today, we are all caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. Everyone was struggling in
making money and to become famed everywhere. Everyone has forgotten to live a happy and peaceful life.
As of now everyone is adopting a rather hectic lifestyle to cope up these challenges and it is human nature
to think wisely and act foolishly. Each of us have bought detrimental social problems to our home and lives.
This has led to lack of communication among the family members and affected family relationship
adversely.
But after all, too much of everything is harmful and these can apply here also. After the arrival of virus
many changes took place in our life. During this lockdown each of us has started to live a real healthy and
peaceful life. We are taught the value of focus in everything we do. It has forced us to ask what we really
need to live reasonably well. This pandemic has put a spotlight on human vulnerability and the fact that
human safety and health of the natural environment go hand in hand. It has taught us to evolve, upgrade
and be resilient to change and overcome the challenges. And it is well said, “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood, and now it is the time to understand more so that we may fear
less.”
The lockdown has once again, shown us that society has a Heart. Everyone has come back to nature. The
return of clear blue skies, breathing of fresh air, chirping of birds, in urban areas arrival of dolphins in
coastal regions etc. The well Renowned Scientist Albert
Einstein had well said, “Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.”
I will like to conclude that life and its chapters will grow but we need to adapt to positive and optimistic
thinking to fit into our book. And I hope that we will come out of this terrible situation and make our
planet brighter and healthier again to live in.
Let us learn to unlearn and get reintroduced to ourselves so that we can walk after the lockdown as new
Human Being into a new healthy world with new experience, ambitions and challenges.
Anushka Pawar
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MY FIRST TWO YEARS AT JUNIOR COLLEGE- A LEAP TO START LIFE
I always wished for being in a college like RA Podar, fortunately my grades agreed and I got admitted in
this college. I was so pleased to get into this college.
I was fond of learning new languages and I was strongly inclined towards German language. I learned a
little bit of it during my vacations and thought of continuing it in college. However, before the admission
process I got informed about the vocational course. I was in a dilemma when I had to choose between
learning an uncommon subject i.e. Office Management (OM) or continuing German ahead.
After a lot of thinking I decided to go on with OM and to learn something new.
Before the term started I visited Podar twice, once for the admission process and the other being the
orientation programme in which our principal spoke about the college and gave us life lessons, I found her
as a woman with a strong personality who sounded very credible and inspiring.
On my first day of college there was a voice in my mind, “WILL I BE ABLE TO COPE UP WITH THE COLLEGE LIFE?"
I was happy for being in this college but at the same time I was really nervous. After attending a few
lectures and interacting with other students and making friends, I was relieved. Then it was time for the
OM lecture, I had butterflies in my stomach before entering the classroom. When I entered the classroom
I saw two teachers with lovely smiles on their faces that allayed my fear. I learnt about the basic idea of
the vocational subjects. I found my OM teacher, Mrs. Rose John, as a very generous, kind and an amazing
speaker and a mentor.
Sooner or later, I completely got engrossed in the 'Typical College Life' making new bonds, learning various
things, stepping into the real world. Of course there were many ups and downs, I made mistakes and what
I learned from this was to tackle the problems and never run away from them, as the more you run, more
the intensity of the situation.
College gave me lots of amazing experiences, there were a lot of clubs and forums to join. One of those
was the 'Podar Hiker's club, trekking has always been one of my interests and fortuitously I got a chance
to become a committee member of the club.
Another great opportunity I got was to volunteer for ENIGMA.
As vocational students we used to have industrial visits which gave us the chance to visit different
industries, to know their working process, the management strategies and the visits were not just limited
to learning but there was a lot of fun too!
Podar has this amazing intra-college event 'Rapport' and I certainly have the most beautiful experience
of my life associated with it. I participated in numerous events and all of them were distinct and
interesting. I learnt a lot of new things and got to make so many new friends. It motivated a lot of us to
unearth our hidden talents. It was like a roller coaster ride full of amusement. Our hard work definitely
paid off as we were the second runner ups.
The finest opportunity I got was the German exchange programme. Although I was not a German student,
my grasp of German language and my parents’ faith on Rose ma'am taking good care of me, I got this marvelous chance to become a member of this wonderful program. I was on cloud nine. It will always be
the most memorable trip of my life, I learned so much about the German culture, their lifestyle, and got
the chance to see so many beautiful places. The bonding I made with the Germans as well as the Indians
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is so precious. I will always be grateful to the college for giving me a once in a lifetime opportunity like
this. All of this helped me to boost my confidence, overall personality, skills and I knew I was growing as
a person. One thing that I realized from the college is
that the most memorable days of one’s life are not just the special days; even the regular days can be made memorable with a slight change in the way one looks at things. I will always cherish these two years
of my life.
A WONDERFUL EXCHANGE
R. A. Podar College never fails to do wonders for its students and give them the best opportunities. Apart
from the various events, clubs and forums for the students to engage in along with the academics, another
golden opportunity which a student can experience is the German exchange program. This program gives
the students a proper glimpse of the German culture and lifestyle. It helps the students to broaden their
social horizon and to improvise their language skills.
GERMANY! It is one of the most beautiful, richest and the most popular tourist destinations and guess
what?? A few students from our college get the chance to visit the amazing country as student exchange's
and learn a lot about the culture, lifestyle, make friends from there and get to visit so many beautiful
places! It immensely helps in gaining knowledge about a lot of things, make friends from a whole different
continent and also boosting the confidence and the overall personality development of a student at a very
young age. We were blessed to become a part of this very wonderful program. We were accompanied by
our fellow students and two very responsible and caring teachers. Each student had their own German
partners and we lived with them and their families in their own houses and it definitely taught us a lot
about the German culture and their way of living and how is it so different from ours. The traffic rules,
the roads, the schools and everything else was so different and unique in its own way! Another great thing
is that our German partners come to visit us after 6 months and they also get the chance to experience
our rich culture. We all had a very great time throughout and it was a golden opportunity for all of us.
With a promise of staying in touch with our partners and other German friends, one thing we know for
sure is that we will always cherish the memories of this exchange.
Here are some of the things about Germany which we would like to share with you guys:-
PLACES
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1. Heidelberg Heidelberg is a very attractive town on the Neckar River in the southern region of
Germany and is mainly known for its venerable Heidelberg University and the
Heidelberg castle. The university was founded in the 14th century and currently
there is the old university along with a new Heidelberg university. The old university
in 14th century used to have student’s prison in the university itself for those who
didn’t abide by the rules.
2. Tübingen Tübingen is yet another beautiful town in Baden Württemberg. One can
experience punting here, in the Neckar River and relax and enjoy the
beauty of the town.
3. Stadtbibliothek stuttgart
The stadtbibliothek or basically the Stuttgart library is one of the most beautiful
libraries in the world, with a very peaceful and amazing infrastructure. It definitely
is one of its own kind!
A few other places which one must visit is Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart city hall, Marktplatz.
FOOD Of course we all love food and every place has its own special kind of food items. Germany has a lot of
amazing food items but here are the most famous ones –
1. Pretzel
Pretzel is one of the most popular German snack. It is a type of a baked pastry made
from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot and it isn't sweet but salty!
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2. Ritter sport
Of course we all love chocolates and ritter sport is the most popular German based
chocolate with a huge variety and almost all types of chocolate flavours and
combinations.
3. The German bakeries
Have you ever thought for a bakery to be attractive? The
German bakeries are totally breathtaking, I mean who could've
thought for a place for purchasing bread to be so good? There
are breads of every shape and so many different sizes made up
of many different types.
An interesting fact about the German bakeries is that the same
bread will have a different name at different places, and no
city's bakery shares the same names for the same type of
bread!
Oh wait! How can we not tell you about the most famous thing about Germany?
CARS!!
MERCEDES, AUDI, PORSCHE, VOLKSWAGEN are all German based
car models and they are the most desired car brands and the
favourites of so many! The Mercedes Benz museum and the Porsche's
museum are a must visit for the ones fond of cars and several other
vehicles.
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SHORT PIECE ON POSITIVITY
I often hear people complain "life is so tough" or "my life sucks". And I wonder, is it so difficult to find a
reason? A simple reason to live.
It was a windy day and I saw this sweet little white flower. It was trying its best not to get carried away.
And after the blows were over, it slowly opened its petals and bloomed brighter than ever. I smiled. I
thought about the striking resemblance between the flower and you. Just like that flower, sometimes you
need to shut yourself away. Away from all the negativity and criticism of the world. There will be times
when you'll be alone - scared and uncertain of the consequences. But like the winds, your problems will
come to an end too. And you'll see your true self. You'll realize your hidden strength and understand that
you possess a strong power. Whether people accept you or not, just doesn't matter anymore. And when
you look back, you'll be glad things unfolded the way they did :)
Jayvi Vador
SHORT PIECE ON HAPPINESS
What is happiness? Suddenly out of things to say!? Cause happiness is something that cannot be expressed
merely by words. It's a feeling. A feeling of joy, of contentment, of peace! Happiness can have multiple
meanings for different people. For some it could be the smell of old books, or the soothing sound of waves,
or vivid colours of the sky. My kind of happiness would be: wind blowing through my hair and favourite
music filling up my ears. In this rush of life, take a moment for yourself. Pause. Breathe. Look around.
There's so much to be happy about. In the daily hustle and bustle, you seem to have lost the essence of
living. Don't let your happiness be decided by other people. Create it yourself. Search for it in little things.
Be a little-bit crazy. Make every moment worth it. Do something wild. After all, life is too short to be
anything but happy :)
IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Books aren’t just your friends; they are your best friends. You read a book and it just draws you in itself. You read and read and you can’t let go of the book until you have finished. It’s a feverish desperation, an
uncontrollable curiosity that just drives you till the end of the book. And this isn’t even the best part.
The best part about the book is the agony, the thinking, the daydreaming that comes after it. You think
about it day and night. You relate with the character. You imagine yourself in the story. You create your
own epilogue. You read it again and again and find new layers, hidden meanings in the story. You start
unraveling the story and reach its fundamental message. You start relating to the character on an even
deeper level.
You compare it with your life. You think about the story so much, it weaves itself in your dreams. The
book draws you into itself completely.
And then, it churns your thoughts, your emotions, your problems and your perks. It draws you out and
places you in a new light; a light influenced by the author’s perspective. You get a new outlook in life. Your view becomes more wholesome, multi-dimensional, rounded, mature and sagacious.
Reading a book is a catharsis; a positive one at that. It connects to your soul and brings everything out. It
empties all the negativity and creates an ample space for the positivity and piousness. It gives you a fresh
outlook. You introspect, you ponder and you add a bright new flavor to your life.
A book makes you think. It makes you empathize and analyze. It teaches you many things; takes you on a
tour of the world and of the human psyche. It listens just as patiently; just as well. What more can you
ask of a friend?
Ruskin Bond once said, “Those who do not read are the unfortunate ones. There is nothing wrong with them; but they are missing out on one of life’s greatest compensations and rewards.”
He could not have been more apt. Reading a book is definitely one of the most rewarding things in my life.
Would you not wish the same joy in your life too?
Shami Pathak
SPRING SEASON
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India known as the land of diversity and colours celebrates the season of spring in many unique ways-
1. Holi- also known to be celebrated in order to reflect and imitate the colours of nature during spring
season.
2. Baisakhi- celebrated in the granary of India Punjab to mark the abundant food supply and harvest
season.
3. Bihu- celebrated in Assam to mark the spring season and the New Year.
4. Vasant Panchami- celebrated particularly in Odisha to worship Goddess Saraswati the goddess of
knowledge.
5. Gudi Padva- celebrated in Maharashtra to mark the Hindu New Year.
6. Buddha Jayanti- mark the birth and enlightenment of the great Buddhist guru Gautam Buddha.
7. Easter Sunday- to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
8. Navroz- meaning new day is celebrated among the Parsis to mark the first day of spring.
9. Gangaur- also known as a puppet festival is celebrated all of Rajasthan with great pomp and joy in
celebration of spring, harvest, marital fidelity and child bearing, goddess Gauri is worshipped.
I think that India without its festivals is like a painting without colours. In spite of the Coronavirus
outbreak in spring this year, Indians still celebrated each of the festivals in a unique way which shows how
come what may we Indians won't budge away from our cultures. That's why I have made this painting which
depicts each of this festivals in a small expressive way.
I thank you for giving me this opportunity to express my ideas about spring and for your valuable time
in grading our articles.
PODAR KATTA
Podar katta is not an ordinary katta. It's a katta with lots of memories like birthday celebration, waiting
for friends, fighting place, clicking pictures and the best part is having Subhash sandwich. The best thing
of katta is finding shadow in summer. Whenever we are going to college or we are coming back home our
meeting place is katta. Though we are sad or happy we will always go near katta and share it with our
friends. Katta is not a katta …It is a place of memories. In these two years there is not a single day when
I went on katta. When I was in F.Y.J.C. I came in contact with my new friends and we wanted to go
somewhere to spend time so we decided to go at Subhash sandwich and the katta was our first spot where
all we friends went for the first time. I still remember our first meet and last meet was on katta. During
our HSC exam also we use to meet at katta and then go for our exam. I am just waiting to get this lockdown
over. Once this Lockdown is over and situation is normal I want to go with my friends at katta and have
Subhash sandwich.
Friends + chocolate sandwich + katta = lots of memories
So I feel that Katta is not just a place but it is an emotion attached to every moment spent in college
Shruti Lohar
SUMMER OF 2020
Summer 2020 is unique, once in a lifetime. The normal vacations, heading to our villages and native place
meeting cousins; travelling across the length and breadth of the country, overseas vacation long play hours;
are all missing as we stay confined to our house.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic. There is no noise of children playing on the streets. Tourist
destinations, be it from backwaters of Kerala to the snow of Switzerland are completely deserted. Our
native places which used to be so lively around this time, have got completely silent. Masks and sanitizers
have become the new normal.
However, all this does not mean we can't have fun or create memories in these situations. We are all lucky
to be safe and sound in the comfort of our homes. This is a wonderful opportunity to hone our skills. There
are so many things we can do. Draw, paint, sketch. Sing, dance, play some instrument, read a book, watch
something. Learn something new- you can learn a new language, learn how to code. Cook. Meditate. Organize
your room. Look through old pictures. Spend time with your family. Play indoor games. Call up a friend you
haven't spoken for really long.
This is also a time to learn to be content with yourself. If you like yourself, you should have no problem
being alone. Honestly, if you learn how to spend time with yourself, you will never feel lonely or bored ever
again.
In spite of the negatives and all that is happening, it is important to look at the brighter side. This is a big
break from our fast-paced life, an opportunity to do all those things which we never found the time for.
Mother earth is healing, birds are chirping and the sky is clearer than ever.
There is always light at the end of the tunnel. This too shall pass and we will be back to our lives again. We
shall once again have fun on the Podar Katta...
Suhani Maheshwari
2020: A CLEAN UP DRIVE INITIATIVE BY MOTHER NATURE
Humans have taken mother Earth for granted and now we’re paying the price for it. However, despite the never-ending barrage of haze, global warming, and pollution in mainstream media, a lot of us still have the mind-set that it is not of great concern because it does not affect any one of us, and continue with our petty arguments. To put things into perspective and show you how bad the situation is, here are some natural disasters that January 2020 to May 2020 which shows how chronic situations are:
1. Taal Volcano Eruption Scientists have warned us before, climate change could trigger volcanic eruptions across the world.
The Taal volcanic eruption happened 60km south of Manila. One of the world’s smallest volcanoes named Taal, spewed a massive cloud of ash which generated plumes 14km above the crater.
It was not the only volcanic eruption that took place because Volcanic Ash Advisory reported other 25 volcanoes around the world are currently erupting.
2. Australia’s deadly bushfires Record-breaking temperatures and severe drought have not done much good to Australia as the country was ravaged by a series of massive bushfires. Some people may argue that the bushfires happened because of drought, not climate change – but these people fail to take into account that BECAUSE of climate change, the country records one of the driest summer in history. The fire killed over 500 million animals and left koalas in a “vulnerable to extinct” state. 3. Brown New Zealand Glaciers The recent bushfires that ravaged Australia is not only a concern for the land down under but also neighbouring countries such as New Zealand. Images of glaciers in New Zealand turning brown was one of the aftermaths caused by the Aussie bushfire, which may result in a quicker meltdown of the glaciers. The glaciers turned brown after being exposed to dust from Aussie’s bushfires and this could cause the glaciers to melt as much as 30%! 4. Vegetation in the Himalayas The rapid change of climate in the Himalayas have caused the melting of Himalayan glaciers – witnessed by the increase in the vegetation of shrubs and grass in the mountains. You would think that grass is good right? Well not for the Himalayas as scientists are saying that this will quicken melt rates and increase the risk of flooding. 5. Floods in Dubai Yes you read that right. Floods in Dubai are rare. However, currently Dubai is heavily affected by floods and numerous flights have been delayed or cancelled. This is very unusual as the city does not usually receive a lot of rain. The extreme rainfall is linked to climate change. It was so bad that the 3 hour rain is comparable by their usual one month’s rainfall!
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6. Flood in Indonesia It would not be a complete list if the natural disasters that took place did not include the recent floods that affected our friends in Indonesia. Flooding in Jakarta is said to be the worst over the last decade
and has taken 66 lives to date. The floods are caused by heavy torrential rains, triggering mudslides and floods. 7. Covid-19 The virus escaped from the Wuhan lab of virology and soon affected the people in the city and spread in the country but after 30 January 2020 it spread around the world infecting about 500,000 people. 8. Locust attack in East Africa
This year a younger and a more active swarm of locusts attacked the farms and since in March the crops were small the locusts destroyed and fled they attacked the Middle East and south Asian countries. 9. Super cyclone Amphan
This cyclone started forming on 16 May and dissipated on 21 May it has been recorded as the costliest cyclone ever recorded in the North Indian Ocean. Affected areas are Sri Lanka, India (Andaman Islands, Odisha, West Bengal), Bhutan and Bangladesh. 10. Cyclone Nisarga
Severe Cyclonic Storm Nisarga is a currently active tropical cyclone headed towards the coastline of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Nisarga started as a deep depression in the Arabian Sea and was expected to hit the western coastline of India. On 2 June 2020, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) revisited Nisarga as severe cyclonic storm from cyclonic storm while confirming its landfall south of the coastal town of Alibaug in Maharashtra on 3 June 2020. To prevent these disasters, we have to take precautions such as: To stop overpopulation immediately. To reduce deforestation. To stop using plastic and instead use degradable substance. To start afforestation on a massive scale. To treat the industrial waste before it is let in the water bodies. I conclude this by reminding all of you that ‘Mother Earth can live without us, but we can’t live without her.’ Thus, for the sustainability of our planet we have to promise to fulfil our responsibilities towards Mother Nature as a global citizen so as to protect our living planet from deterioration and to handover a clean and green planet to our future generations. Maybe our single efforts may seem small but if thousands of youth can unite together towards nature conservation then one day our efforts will be a drastic step to protect our motherland Earth from destruction.
Vivek Makwana
DO WE MAKE THE MOST OF ALL?
‘I wish the moment stops and I stay in this moment forever, I wish this wind stops and everything else also pauses for a while, I wish…’ We have so many times spoken these words to ourselves in our mind, I’ sure we’ve tried to have a monologue, have you tried? I’m a 16 year old teenager and I agree with everyone’s perceptions about a teenager. Yes, I’m messy, I’m hormonal, I’m carefree but not careless and I’m rebellious and pragmatic but I’M ME. I know that some of you do not like philosophies as it triggers your weak pulse or it shows you some gruesome realities of life which you do not want to face right now, but if
not now then when ? Have you fixed a time to accept your realities and insecurities? I’m sure that we all have insecurities and inhibitions and we fear that they’ll come out and in that fear we start piling up our insecurities in our heart and mind. Some insecurities are so deep and so colossal that it makes us mentally
deaf and dumb. As we become deaf, we stop listening to your heart and as we become dumb, we stop
listening to our brain.
I’m filled with insecurities but remember that insecurities are a part of your past as well as present but
to make it a part of your future is in your hands. Believe me, it’s easy to say then to do it, but as it has been said by some great personalities “Trust on your word”, we must trust this too. I had once heard that “Birth, trust, love, intellect, death are 10% of your memories and 90% of your memories are just reactions
to these 10% of the memories”. If we fail to live the 10%, then what about the entire writing process, which is dependent on the 10%? Our insecurities are a part of 90% of your memories and we must not let
this ‘part become a whole’. Let me ask you another question ,”Do you live your life?” Think about it from the perspective of your brain, the brain will agree on it as you eat food, drink water and stimulate yourself
to various situation, so brain’s answer is a ‘Yes’. Think from the perspective of your heart, it’s a gain a ‘Yes’, as your heart gets loved, dejected, broken, shattered but comes back to normal. Think about it from the
perspective of your conscience. Do you really “L.I.V.E” your life? This is where you fall short of answers. We are so much busy with our reactions that we tend to forget what we live for.
Oscar Wilde has said ,”Some people live, while other just exist”. Now think, Are you a life or just an existence?
Zalak Doshi
Foods with immunity-boosting capacity are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and fibre. Here is the
recipe of Ginger Turmeric Soup which helps you to boost your immunity with its rich nutrition
content and is easy to prepare at home.
Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup with Coconut Milk is light, luscious, earthy and flavourful. It is rich in
Vitamin A, antioxidants and most importantly supports an inflammatory diet. Here are the ingredients-
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 cups water
Preparation of this soup involves the following steps-
1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the coconut oil and onion. Stir while cooking.
2. Once the onions turn lightly transparent – about 3-5 minutes – add in the garlic, ginger, turmeric,
cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Sauté the mixture for about 1 minute and then add in the carrots and water.
3. Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid.
4. Blend the mixture until smooth and serve with a garnish of your favourite fresh herbs, chopped.
Include this nutritious delicacy in your diet to keep your healthy. Take a look at it after it is prepared-
Yuval Aiya
Items needed:
1. Parle G, Hide and seek or any other chocolate biscuits.
2. ½ cup milk.
6. Dairy milk chocolate
8. 4 Ceramic tea cups
Step 1. Put the biscuits in a mixer and crush them.
Step 2. Empty the contents of the mixer in a bowl and add 3 table spoons of sugar, a pinch of baking
soda and half cup of milk.
Step 3. Mix the contents well till the batter becomes smooth.
Step 4. Apply oil to the sides of the ceramic tea cups and pour the batter into the cups.
Step 5. Take a separate small container and put the dairy milk chocolate into it and heat it on low flame.
Step 6. Add 5 drops of milk and continuously stir the mixture.
Step 7. The cooled mixture must then be rolled into small balls of the size of a pea and put into the cake
batter deep inside the cups.
Step 8. The cups must be placed on a stand in the cooker. The cooker must be heated on a medium flame
for 20minutes.
Kanishk Gala
French beans: 10 nos
Cow ghee / butter: 1 tbs
Salt to taste.
Method:
Wash all the ingredients. Peel the bottle gourd. Cut it into small pieces of approx. size 1 to 2 inches. Cut
the french beans into small pieces. Cut amla into 2 pieces. Take a pressure cooker vessel and add these 3
ingredients. Add about 300 ml to this vessel. Pressure cook this for 2 whistles and reduce the gas flame
to low for 5 minutes. On cooling, add mint leaves, tulsi leaves, and black pepper to this mixture and grind
the same in a mixer until smooth. Take another vessel. Pour this mixture in it, add salt to taste and 1 tbs
ghee/butter. Bring this to a boil.
ULTIMATE IMMUNITY BOOSTER SOUP IS READY!
Serve hot.
Jenikka Korgaonker
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